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Windows Vista Error message 'There is no disk in the drive ...'

Discussion in 'Legacy Windows' started by alanrf, 2010/07/02.

  1. 2010/07/02
    alanrf

    alanrf Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Over the past few weeks I have seen instances of the following message after the initial boot up process has completed.

    There is no disk in the drive. Please insert a disk into drive \Device\Harddisk2\DR2

    Clicking [FONT= "Microsoft Sans Serif"]Continue[/FONT] gets rid of it and all seems well.

    However, why is it happening?

    There have been no major hardware or software changes for some time other than the usual Microsoft updates so it seems rather odd. Not even sure what \Device\Harddisk2 refers to as there doesn't seem to be any reference within the Windows folder.
     
  2. 2010/07/02
    Steve R Jones

    Steve R Jones SuperGeek Staff

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    How many hard drives are in the pc?
    Sounds like there may be two and that the BIOS is set to boot off the one that doesn't have an OS on it.
     

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  4. 2010/07/02
    alanrf

    alanrf Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    No, only one HDD, divided into two partitions.


    However, you triggered a thought that I usually have an external USB HDD connected. Could this be the cause of the problem? However, that drive is only used about once a week for backup purposes and is not normally switched on.
     
  5. 2010/07/02
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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  6. 2010/07/02
    alanrf

    alanrf Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    The reference was interesting but not relevant, and of course, it was Windows 7 rather than Vista. The boot up drive is, and always has been C:. The removable dive (USB) usually identified itself as J when I powered it up but that drive has never been bootable, and indeed would not be capable as it only holds data files.


    Not sure how to resolve and/or understand this issue which seems to have been around, (judging by Google searches) for years.
     
  7. 2010/07/02
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Vista & 7 run on essentially the same core so the thread has some relevance.

    The puzzling thing is drive
    Your OS drive will be Disk 0 and your external, when connected Disk 1.

    Disk 2 is a phantom I would guess - a search in the Registry for Disk 2 may be educational :)

    What does Disk Management show?
     
  8. 2010/07/02
    alanrf

    alanrf Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Nothing for Harddisk2 in the Registry.


    Disk Management shows no obvious error:

    Volume with no ID Basic Healthy (EISA Configuration)

    OS(C: ) Basic NTFS Healthy (System, Boot,Page File, Active, Crash Dump, Primary Partition)

    Recovery (D: ) Basic NTFS Healthy (Primary Partition)


    All very strange - could be as you say some phantom entry but that is still 'unusual'.
     
  9. 2010/07/02
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    If, as you say - and I have seen, that the issue is widely documented on Google the chances of finding a solution, if none are posted, is slim.

    Could be that the BIOS is detecting a drive which does not exist and that Windows is taking that information on board and is responding by warning that there is no disk in the drive ??
     
  10. 2010/07/03
    alanrf

    alanrf Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Certainly seems to be an ongoing problem with everything from XP to Win7 reporting issues.

    However, as it does not seem to be causing any noticeable issues at present, I'll live with it. It would have been nice to have an understanding but I suppose that it is basically an error message called by some random glitch.

    Thanks for the responses everyone.
     

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